U.S. patent number 5,297,849 [Application Number 07/772,672] was granted by the patent office on 1994-03-29 for vertically adjustable swivel support with lock for use with seating.
Invention is credited to Charles W. Chancellor.
United States Patent |
5,297,849 |
Chancellor |
March 29, 1994 |
Vertically adjustable swivel support with lock for use with
seating
Abstract
A swivel support for seating such as a boat chair, various
vehicle seats and other types of chairs or seats which can swivel
and be vertically elevated or lowered that includes a lock
structure which will automatically lock the support in angularly
adjusted position about a vertical axis when the support is lowered
from its elevated position to its lowered position. Many boats are
provided with chairs which can be elevated to provide occupants of
the chair with a better position for fishing. Chairs of this type
are conventionally capable of being swiveled or rotatable about a
vertical axis to enable the occupant to assume different angular
positions in relation to the gunwales of the boat for a more
effective fishing position. The boat chair lock structure will
automatically lock the boat chair against rotation or swivel
movement when the boat chair is lowered such as when the boat is
underway from one location to another. The lock structure for the
chair includes components on the stationary base and the movable
component of the chair which interengage in one of a plurality of
selected positions about a vertical axis when the boat chair is
lowered to lock the boat chair in the selected angular position
automatically when the boat chair is lowered.
Inventors: |
Chancellor; Charles W.
(Midland, TX) |
Family
ID: |
25095830 |
Appl.
No.: |
07/772,672 |
Filed: |
October 7, 1991 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
297/344.12;
297/344.22 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47C
3/18 (20130101); A47C 7/004 (20130101); A47C
3/24 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
A47C
3/24 (20060101); A47C 3/20 (20060101); A47C
7/00 (20060101); A47C 3/18 (20060101); A47C
3/00 (20060101); A47C 001/06 () |
Field of
Search: |
;297/349,338,339,345,347,348,284F ;248/423,418,404-414 ;114/363,194
;108/144-148 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Cranmer; Laurie K.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Jacobson, Price, Holman &
Stern
Claims
What is claimed as new is as follows:
1. A lock for a vertically adjustable swivel support which includes
a non-rotatable base member and a rotatable member supported from
the non-rotatable base member at a rotational interface, said lock
comprising a lock member mounted on the non-rotatable base member
and a lock member mounted on the rotatable member, said support
including manually controlled means to elevate and lower the
rotatable member in relation to the base member and maintain the
rotatable member in either position solely by said manually
controlled means independently of the presence of any other
externally applied force on the rotatable member, said lock members
including means bridging the rotational interface between lock
members when the rotatable member is in lowered position thereby
preventing swivel movement of the support.
2. The structure as defined in claim 1 wherein said means bridging
the interface includes one of the lock members being constructed in
the form of a polygonal cup-shaped member, the other of the lock
members being constructed of corresponding polygonal shape for
telescopic engagement with the cup-shaped member when the rotatable
member is lowered.
3. The structure as defined in claim 2 wherein each of said lock
members is of square configuration for telescopic engagement in
four, equally spaced positions of the lock members in relation to
each other.
4. The structure as defined in claim 1 wherein said means bridging
the interface includes axially extending, radial teeth on opposed
axial surfaces of the lock members which are interlocked when the
rotatable member is lowered.
5. The structure as defined in claim 1 wherein said means bridging
the interface includes a stationary lock plate mounted on the
non-rotatable base member, said lock plate having a non-circular
opening therein, said rotatable member having a projection on a
lower end thereof of noncircular configuration corresponding to the
shape of the opening and telescoped into the opening in the lock
plate when the rotatable member is lowered thereby preventing
swivel movement of the support.
6. The structure as defined in claim 1 wherein said swivel support
is a chair including a chair frame and the rotatable member depends
from said frame and is in the form of a vertically disposed stem
capable of rotational movement and vertical adjustment in relation
to the base member, said base member including a tubular standard
telescopically receiving the stem, said means to elevate said
rotatable member in relation to the base member including means
interconnecting the tubular standard and stem to vertically elevate
and lower the stem and chair frame in relation to the tubular
standard.
7. The structure as defined in claim 6 wherein said chair frame
includes a chair seat and back rest, said back rest including an
enlarged opening, an inset back rest in said opening, means
vertically adjustably supporting the inset back rest and angularly
supporting the inset back rest to position it in different position
in relation to the chair back rest.
8. In a chair comprising a seat for supporting an occupant, means
supporting said seat for swivel movement about a generally vertical
axis, manually controlled means connected to said seat and
supporting means to elevate and lower said set without requiring
the weight of a seat occupant, the improvement comprising lock
means on said seat and supporting means that automatically locks
the seat against rotation when said manually controlled means
lowers said seat and automatically permits swivel movement when the
seat is elevated, said manually controlled means including manually
operated screw thread means interconnecting said seat and
supporting means.
9. In a chair comprising a seat for supporting an occupant, means
supporting said seat for swivel movement about a generally vertical
axis, power controlled means connected to said seat and supporting
means to elevate and lower said set without requiring the weight of
a seat occupant, the improvement comprising lock means on said seat
and supporting means that automatically locks the seat against
rotation when said power controlled means lowers said seat and
automatically permits swivel movement when the seat is elevated,
said power controlled means including a gaseous lift
interconnecting said seat and supporting means to power elevate and
power lower said seat.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a swivel support for
seating such as a boat chair, various vehicle seats and other types
of chairs or seats which can swivel and be vertically elevated or
lowered and more specifically a swivel support provided with a lock
structure which will automatically lock the swivel support in
angularly adjusted position about a vertical axis when the support
is lowered from its elevated position to its lowered position. Many
boats are provided with chairs which can be elevated to provide
occupants of the chair with a better position for fishing. Many
other swivel chairs and seats can also be elevated or lowered. Boat
chairs of this type are conventionally capable of being swiveled or
rotated about a vertical axis to enable the occupant to assume
different angular positions in relation to the gunwales of the boat
for a more effective fishing position. The swivel support of this
invention includes a lock structure which will automatically lock
the boat chair against rotation or swivel movement when the boat
chair is lowered such as when the boat is being driven from one
location to another. The lock structure for the chair includes
components on the stationary base and the movable component of the
chair which interengage in one of a plurality of selected positions
about a vertical axis when the boat chair is lowered to lock the
boat chair in the selected angular position automatically when the
boat chair is lowered.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Boat chairs which can be elevated manually or which are powered by
an air lift, gas lift, hydraulic lift or the like are well known
and these chairs are also capable of rotating about a vertical axis
to enable the occupant to obtain optimum position when fishing. The
following U.S. patents relate to developments in this field.
276,830
1,862,755
4,278,289
4,487,452
4,518,139
4,655,632
4,673,155
While the prior patents disclose chairs which are elevatable,
capable of swiveling movement and return to a predetermined
position when an occupant leaves the chair, the above mentioned
patents do not disclose a lock structure in accordance with this
invention.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to provide a lock for
securing a vertically adjustable swivel support in non-rotatable
position when the support is lowered with the lock including
components which will automatically engage when the support is
lowered to lock the swivel support in non-rotatable position when
in its lowered position.
Another object of the invention is to provide a swivel support lock
in accordance with the preceding object in which the components
which automatically engage when the support is lowered include
telescopic square or other polygonal components, axial serrations
or teeth, radial serrations or teeth or other shapes and
configurations which will provide a positive locking engagement
when the support moves to its lowermost position.
A further object of the invention is to provide a swivel support
lock associated with a vertically adjustable swivel boat chair or
the like which can be manually operated by a screw threaded device
or by a gas cylinder or other source of compressed air or gas with
the lock device preventing swiveling movement of the chair when it
is lowered to enable the occupant of the chair to obtain a desired
position when fishing with the chair in elevated position with the
occupant of the chair also being stably supported by the chair when
it is lowered with the chair then being locked in a desired angular
relationship such as facing forwardly, rearwardly or inboard
thereby providing a boat chair capable of supporting an occupant in
desired positions when fishing o when the boat is underway.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a lock for boat
chairs which is simple in construction, easily retrofitted into
existing boat chair structures and incorporated into new boat chair
structures and which is longlasting and dependable and provides a
positive lock for the boat chair.
These together with other objects and advantages which will become
subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and
operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed,
reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part
hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a gas elevated boat chair utilizing
the swivel support lock structure of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the boat chair illustrating
the clearance between the locking components when the boat chair is
in elevated position.
FIG. 3 is a fragmental side elevational view with the chair in
lowered position with the locked components being shown in
section.
FIG. 4 is a transverse, sectional view taken substantially upon a
plane passing along section line 4--4 on FIG. 3 illustrating
further structural details of the lock structure.
FIG. 5 is a fragmental side elevational view with portions in
section illustrating locking components with axial teeth disposed
in meshing engagement.
FIG. 6 is a fragmental side elevational view with portions in
section similar to FIGS. 3 and 5 but illustrating another
embodiment of locking structure with radial meshing serrations or
teeth.
FIG. 7 is a transverse, sectional view taken substantially upon a
plane passing along section line 7--7 of FIG. 6 illustrating
further structural details of this embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 8 is side elevational view of a manually elevatable chair
utilizing the swivel support lock structure of the present
invention.
FIG. 9 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially upon a
plane passing along section line 9--9 on FIG. 8, on an enlarged
scale, illustrating the structural details of the lock structure
for the vertically adjustable swivel support.
FIG. 10 is a transverse, sectional view taken substantially upon a
plane passing along section line 10--10 on FIG. 9 illustrating the
specific structure of the lock plate.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Referring now specifically to FIGS. 1-4, a boat chair incorporating
the swivel support lock structure of the present invention is
generally designated by reference numeral 10 and includes a base 12
supported on the deck 14 of a boat adjacent the gunwale 16 with the
chair being capable of swivel movement about a vertical axis and
vertical movement between an elevated position and a lowered
position. The chair includes a supporting frame 18 which includes a
depending support stem 20 telescoped into a tubular standard 22
forming part of the base 12. The stem can be extended and retracted
by a gas lift or air lift structure in which the stem 20 is
provided with a seal 24 which enables air pressure to move the
chair to elevated position. Usually, the chair does not move more
than approximately 6" when moved between its lowermost position and
its uppermost position.
The lock structure illustrated in FIGS. 1-4 is generally designated
by reference numeral 26 and includes an inverted square cup-shaped
member 28 rigidly affixed to the stem 20 as by welding 30 or the
like. Attached to the upper end of the standard 22 is a
correspondingly shaped square or polygonal member 32 secured
thereto as by welding 34 with the member 32 being slightly smaller
in outside dimension as compared to the inside dimension of the
member 28 to permit the member 28 to telescope downwardly over the
member 32 when the chair is lowered to its lowermost position as
illustrated in FIG. 3. When the chair is elevated above its
lowermost position as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, there is a
clearance between the bottom edge of the member 28 and the upper
edge of the member 32 so that these two members are not telescoped
and are not locked. Thus, when the chair is elevated, it can swivel
in a usual manner but when it is lowered, it will become locked in
one of several positions depending upon the shape and configuration
of the members 28 and 32. When the members are square as
illustrated in FIGS. 1-4, the chair can be locked in any one of
four positions such as with the chair facing forwardly, rearwardly,
inboard or outboard.
FIG. 5 illustrates another embodiment of the invention in which the
chair frame 38 includes a depending stem 40 having a cup-shaped
member 42 affixed thereto by welding or the like with the lower
axial end of the cup-shaped member including a plurality of teeth
or serrations 44. The vertical standard 46 forming part of the base
is provided with a cylindrical member 48 attached thereto as by
welding or the like with the member 48 including a plurality of
teeth or serrations 50 on the axial surface thereof for
interlocking engagement with the teeth or serrations 44 when the
seat is in lowered position thereby locking the seat in a manner to
prevent rotation when the chair is lowered but permitting the chair
to swivel when elevated.
FIGS. 6 and 7 illustrate another embodiment of the invention in
which the chair frame 51 includes a stem 52 having a cylindrical
member 54 rigid therewith with the cylindrical member 54 including
radially extending longitudinal serrations or teeth 56 on the
periphery thereof. The vertical standard 58 forming part of the
base is provided with a cup-shaped, upwardly opening cylindrical
member 60 affixed thereto by welding 62 or the like with the upper
interior portion of the cup-shaped member 60 including radially
extending longitudinal teeth or serrations 64 which extend
longitudinally therein for interlocking engagement with the teeth
or serrations 56 when the member 54 is telescoped into the
cup-shaped member 60 which occurs when the seat has been lowered to
its lowest position.
FIGS. 8-10 illustrate a manually elevated chair structure generally
designated by reference numeral 70 of conventional construction and
which includes a chair frame generally designated by reference
numeral 72 having a stem 74 depending therefrom which extends
telescopically into a tubular standard 76 attached to a deck 78 or
other horizontal surface by an outwardly flared lower end 80 and
fastener devices 82 of conventional construction. The stem 74
includes an externally threaded portion 84 which may extend
throughout its length. The stem 74 is also o conventional
construction except that the lower end of the stem 74 is provided
with a projection 86 which extends axially from the end of the step
74 and is of square or other non-circular configuration with the
perimeter of the projection being less than the perimeter of the
stem 74 to define a shoulder 88 that is defined by that portion of
the lower end of the stem 74 outwardly of the projection 86. The
stem 74 is vertically elevated by rotation of an internally
inverted cup-shaped bell 90 which may be dome-shaped or cylindrical
and threadedly engaged with stem 74. A sleeve 92 is rigidly affixed
to the standard and guidingly receives the stem 74. The upper end
of the sleeve 92 includes an outwardly extending peripheral flange
94. A set screw 96 which extends radially into the bell 90 and
under the flange 94 rotatably secures the bell 90 and stem 74 to
the standard 76. All of the structure for raising and lowering the
chair 70 is conventional except for the projection 86 on the lower
end of stem 74. In operation, rotation of the bell 90 moves the
stem 74 upwardly or downwardly thus adjusting the elevation of the
chair and the chair can swivel normally when in any vertically
adjusted position. However, in this form of the invention, when the
chair is lowered, so that the stem 74 moves downwardly, the
projection 86 will enter an aperture or hole 98 of square or
non-circular configuration in a lock plate 100 that is anchored to
the interior of the tubular standard 76 as by welding 102 or the
like and the chair 70 will then be locked against rotation or
swivel movement. Since the chair and stem 74 can swivel as the stem
is being lowered, the square or other noncircular configuration of
the projection 86 and the hole 98 can be aligned so that rotation
of the bell 90 will lower the projection into the hole 98 thus
locking the stem 74 and thus the chair 70 from rotation or swivel
movement.
As illustrated in FIGS. 1-7, the locking device may be in the form
of telescopic square or other correspondingly shaped
non-cylindrical members with the members having axial teeth or
serrations or radial teeth or serrations which will interlock to
provide a positive locking action against rotation when the movable
member on the seat is engaged with the stationary member on the
chair base. If a square structure is used such as the cup-shaped
member 28, the member 32 may be square on in lieu thereof, four
equally spaced upwardly projecting rods could be welded to the
tubular standard 22 with the rods being received generally in the
corners of the square cup-shaped member or box 28. The rods could
be equally spaced at 90.degree. around the perimeter of the
standard or housing 22 and need only be long enough to engage the
vertical height of the cup-shaped member 28 when it is telescoped
over the upper end of the member 22. Likewise, rods or beads could
be rigidly affixed to a plate or flange on the seat stem which
would engage drilled holes in the housing which would lock the seat
from rotating even if the boat hits an obstruction such as a log or
the like thereby providing stable support for the occupant of the
chair.
As illustrated in FIGS. 8-10, a lock structure may be incorporated
into a conventional manually screw threaded or jacktype chair
elevating and lowering mechanism by adding a square or other
non-circular projection on the lower end of the vertically movable
and swivelly mounted stem and a plate rigidly welded to the
interior of the tubular standard having a central opening therein
corresponding in shape to the configuration of the projection to
lock the stem and thus the chair from swivelling movement when the
stem and chair are in the lowered position by rotation of the bell
and releasing the stem for rotation or swivel movement when the
bell is rotated to elevate the stem and chair.
The chair structure is constructed of plastic material or weather
resistant material and includes a seat cushion 110 supported by a
bottom member 112 and upright side pieces 114 terminating at arm
rests 116 at the forward ends thereof and extending upwardly to
form a back rest 118. The back rest 118 includes an enlarged open
area 120 receiving an inset back rest 122 supported by a pivoted
frame 124 which is vertically adjustable by slot-like structures
126 and a clamp bolt 128 and angularly adjusted by an adjustment
structure 130 to vary the position of the inset back rest in
relation to the back rest 118. The seat itself is pivotal and
supported by a spring structure of conventional construction which
can be adjusted to vary the normal position of the chair and also
vary the resistance to pivotal movement of the chair about a
transverse axis.
The chair structure including the pivot control is supported for
rotational movement about a vertical axis defined by the stem which
can be manually elevated by a screw-type jack structure or power
operated by a compressed gas cylinder admitting compressed gas into
a piston and cylinder arrangement to extend the piston upwardly
with the piston being connected to the stem or forming the stem to
lift the chair. This enables the occupant of the chair to swivel to
any desired position when fishing or performing other tasks while
occupying the elevated seat or chair. When the chair is lowered
such as when the boat is underway, the chair will automatically
lock in a selected position due to the engagement of telescopic
polygonal cup-like or box-like members, telescopic engagement of
radially extending, longitudinal teeth or serrations, engagement of
movable and stationary components having axially facing teeth or
serrations, or by engagement of a square projection with a square
hole in a rigid lock plate with all of the locking structures
enabling the chair to be automatically locked against swiveling o
rotational movement when the chair is lowered to its lower-most
position either manually or by exhausting the gas lift.
While the vertically adjustable swivel support and locking
structure have been illustrated in the drawings with a boat chair,
it is pointed out that the structure can be used with any type of
seating which involves a seat or chair which can swivel about a
vertical axis with the seat or chair being automatically locked to
prevent swivelling movement when the seat or chair is lowered and
automatically unlocked to permit swivelling movement when the seat
or chair is elevated regardless of the mechanism used to vertically
adjust the seat or chair.
The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles
of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes
will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired
to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation
shown and described, and, accordingly, all suitable modifications
and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the
invention.
* * * * *